19 December 2014

It was Christmas Eve babe, In the drunk tank

Well, I'm still alive, if not functioning correctly. And obviously at work, so this is quick. I'm going to get back to it at home and put a few nice songs on it, to give you all a festive kick up the arse. I refuse to be drawn as to whether I sun any of the songs last night...

Speaking of, it was a nice night last night. Always good when teams get along and can have a nice time socially. And obviously I'm a very generous boss ;) (and won't let them forget it).

Sherlock glowered at me a bit this morning. Probably because I was home so late last night (I don't actually know what time I got home, to be honest. Just that John was still awake.) Or possibly because I completely messed up his breakfast. Probably both.

We've picked up another stray for Christmas Day - DI Dimmock - Dimmo, he's working the nightshift on Christmas Eve, so I've invited him around to partake in some eating in the afternoon. Otherwise it's a bit of a miserable day!

I'm off tomorrow, then it's the long run in until I'm off on the day itself :)

The tree is remarkably intact (more than can be said for my thought process), and Maf doesn't seem too interested in it, although she is when the baubles are knocked by a passing hound, or when tinsel is dangled for her. When you tie tinsel to a dog's collar, as we discovered the other day, a huge fight ensues... so we won't be doing that again. Dog's clearly don't differentiate between having their festive collars attacked and being under attack themselves.

I'm going to have to stop there as this screen is far too bright. But I really will come back and put some music on here asap.

Mycroft has just had to remind me to return and put up promised music...

Three songs I enjoy at this time of year, for quite different reasons:

I think that's a fantastic song and tune. Although I did used to take 'the Christmas you get you deserve' rather to heart...

Another stunning song. Although it used to make Mum cry into her sherry.

And the last - a by no means exhaustive list of some of my favourite Christmas tunes.

Hey - don't ask, found this. It makes me feel slightly sick, but Sherlock might enjoy making some patterns? Nice and sciency and pretty and he can print them off and cut them up if he wants. He was going to make Christmas cards for people.

ha, just about survived. although not exactly running on all cylinders yet. Mycroft just had to remind me to add the songs I said I would in. And I can't even remember the ones I intended... but there we go, still put three up ;)

...in a show of either amazing optimism or sheer desperation, an ice cream van has just gone past, playing a truly awful rendition of 'rudolph the red nosed reindeer'. Sadly this is like a siren's song to Sherlock, who is now awake, and slightly unsure if we're lying about there not being a hidden grown-up tradition of getting 99s before christmas...

I don't know if I'm ashamed of the Christmas dinner jokes that went through my head or appalled at your talent for prompting them, L. Not at ALL suited to the all-ages gathering of family, friends and enthusiastic pets you'll be feeding well in an atmosphere of happy good will, fun and affection. ;-)

Oh I had not thought of the Babar books for years! Nor Uncle Cornelius, drawn with a wiggly line that somehow conveyed Great Age so well. Some of them had the best pictures. Thanks for that closing thought.

All I really know about Uncle Cornelius is that when we tried to find a picture to print out for Dimmo's door Googling something like 'babar elephant Cornelius' brought up one very...interesting image. Which Dimmo did not appreciate...because, in his words, 'I look a bit worried, but the bear looks really happy'... Just remember the rules on Googling things, ok?

I'm doing a bit better, thanks fA. My injured friend is better enough to feel grumpy and depressed that he has to spend Christmas in the hospital. He doesn't live locally so I can't go visit him, but I'm so glad he's alive I'm not telling him to cheer up. My friend's toddler (with leukemia) is doing so well they're sending him home early so he can have Christmas at home.

I must unknowingly have parental controls on my Google because Babar elephant and Uncle Cornelius came up with perfectly ordinary illustrations from the books. Though I wasn't doing an image search specifically.

I hope debating the correct gifts for John will sufficiently entertain everyone. You could always offer to purchase a few Babar books for Sherlock - somehow I doubt their pleasant anthropomorphic premise will interest him. It is too entirely not real.

I used to read with early elementary students as part of a literacy support program. Amelia Bedelia was very popular with almost all of them - the books were decades old even then, but the joy of an adult making ridiculous mistakes because of having a very literal mind is apparently enduring!

Not entirely well. I've got this weird vertigo thing going on for the last week. Saw my doctor, tried medication, and it's still there, so now she's sending me to a neurologist. Not sure when this will be yet, given the holidays.

Anyone have a children's book to recommend for a 2 1/2 year old? Her dad loves to read to her, but I've forgotten most of the books I read at that age. I have a very cute young cousin.

Becca, wish you were feeling better. You can't go wrong with Eric Carle (sp?) for pre-readers. The Very Hungry Caterpillar is the one I remember. I remember a couple of books, very rhymey, the first was "Is Your Mama a Llama?" that were popular (author - ?). And Sandra Boynton had something titled something similar to Moo Baa La La La.

L., I think the window for John to be struck with horrified regret has passed. He's invested now. Isn't that lovely? And you and Mycroft actually sound like a very balanced shopping team.

1, 5, 10, 25 years there's always a reasonable reason to get out of a relationship if you want to but lets be honest Greg if John was going to get out because of your choice of kitted Christmas presents he'd have done it by now ;-)

Becca, "Chicka, Chicka, Boom, Boom" is popular with those who are learning the alphabet. As a parent, also as a former preschool teacher, it was one I didn't mind reading repeatedly. The kids usually memorize it fairly quickly, too.

Hope everyone is feeling okay today, and the holiday prep/travel goes smoothly for those engaged in it.

On the topic of things Sherlock might find interesting: large telescopes in space limitations may be solved by . . . glitter! The first proof-of-concept done in a lab literally used a jar of glitter from a craft store. http://www.npr.org/2014/12/23/372468028/could-glitter-help-solve-nasas-giant-telescope-problem

Leg of lamb goes in the oven in a few hours. Not exactly traditional, especially for Christmas Eve, but breakfast/brunch is the only serious food happening in this house tomorrow. Garlic and rosemary. MMMMMMM.

Happy Christmas all! Just gone midnight here - Sherlock wanted to go to Midnight Mass (only because it meant he could stay up until midnight), so we decided against that, but agreed he could stay up - think we'll get a lie in tomorrow? ;) He's just off to bed now, full of excitement.

Hope everyone has a great day, feel free to pop on here and chat, if you're in need of company. I'll try and be on a bit, although I will mainly be chained to the kitchen :)

Merry Christmas to all! It's a sunny 23C here - so glad it's not a hot one this year. I've unwrapped my gifts, and watched Nativity!, which was on the telly when I woke up.

No cooking for me - I have a friend coming around this afternoon, and we'll be having 4 kinds of cheese, 4 kinds of berries, some pineapple, pistachios, salt & pepper cashews, dolmades, chocolates and I'm going to throw together an Eton Mess later :) No mince pies this year, as they changed the recipe on the gluten free ones, and they're no longer vegetarian :( We've got berry-filled little pies instead. Got some cold eggnog in the fridge ... A feast!

My young friend Henry sent me a dinosaur ornament to hang on my tree. I don't have a tree, but a dinosaur never goes astray! My mother sent me an elf hat for the mannequin in the corner of my room, so it feels a bit Christmassy despite the lack of tree :) I hope you all have a lovely day!

Merry Christmas to those of you already there! And I wish a happy day off to those who don't celebrate Christmas, and peaceful, stress-free shifts to everyone whose job requires them to work on the 25th! (And many thanks to those of you keeping the wheels turning by working when the rest of us are off.)

Looking forward to hearing about everyone's most interesting/satisfying/amusing gifts.

Merry Christmas! Still morningtime here. I've been told I cannot have pie for breakfast. Nor can I put ice cream on waffles. But there is copius amounts of coffee. And once you pile on fruit and syrup and yogurt, waffles are basically pie.

So was Father Christmas generous to the Watson-Lestrade-Holmes household this year? Did DI Dimmock have to recount too many gruesome murders to earn his lunch? And has Murray got a Christmas kiss off Martha yet?

BTW, did any of you see the ISS go over the UK today or yesterday? I always have to remind myself that the moving light is actually a man-made object with people on board. Makes me feel impressed and old at the same time time :-p

Wow, what a fantastic sounding Christmas! I had Christmas morning/afternoon brunch with friends, my household is doing a proper Christmas meal with gifts nearer New Year's to accommodate travel schedules. Nonetheless, average daily consumption was over a bottle of wine per adult, so festivities were certainly festive.

Ella, you have some re-education to conduct on anyone who thinks pie and ice cream are inappropriate for Christmas morning!

An underwater camera certainly sparks the question of which bodies of water you'll be visiting this summer!

it's fun hearing about everyone's day yesterday. :) i had a nice big dinner with my sister and daughter, and sent home big plates of leftovers to their respective Significant Others. Today... I probably should get a bit of work done, but it's nice out so I'm also thinking I might make a stab at some more yard work that didn't get done in the fall.S

Leftover feast is as good as the original sometimes! Mycroft's contributions sound wonderful!

My aftermath is the family part, daughter came home yesterday for a few weeks, son returns to town today. Our celebrations shall be drawn out, as by the time son's girlfriend returns, daughter will be recovering from wisdom tooth removal. The good bits of Christmas are just never ending this year!

And my lights are gorgeous, all indoors and just short of wretched excess!

And good luck with your mom, Greg. Hope she's doing well and in a state of mind to enjoy/appreciate your visit. If not, her loss. (At least you'll see your sister?)

And if she's pleased I hope she's the type to let you know it. So many people broadcast all their pleasure in their children to others but never show the kids themselves anything but complaints. So self-defeating.

Greg, I hope your visit with your mum goes well.I'm tired-but-happy, got to do a local Day of Dance event. Dancers from several local teams gathered, learned a few border and molly (mostly) dances, and then went out and performed on the street and at pubs. It's really nice to get to "cross-fertilize" a bit with the other teams. even if we tour with them in spring we are dancing just with our own team members. I even got to wear my old rag tunic and hood from back when I used to dance long sword.S

Glad the visit went as well as you could hope and I'm sure you feel better to have seen her so that's good. Did you meet Nicky as well. Did all four of you go, nice to have a good trek on the bikes & now you have a nice victory to speed your journey home too. :)

Do we get a description of this infamous jumper if a photo is not available. ;)

I'm hoping for John's take on the jumper. With, ideally, an editorial gloss by Mycroft. Their dry understatement on such matters (with the possible exception of a certain . . . sparkly jacket) is sure to amuse.

It never ceases to amaze me that despite having all night to herself, to do as she pleases, Maf always decides to greet me in the morning by plonking herself in a doorway and showing me her bum whilst she licks herself down.

We're going to Mummy's and she said we could go and see the fireworks AND she said I'm old enough to light the fire all by myself now and I wish we had a fireplace that worked not one that you can't even light a fire in.

Happy New Year to all! May 2015 be better to all! (And in a hurry, Ella & Becca & anyone else who's seen it out a bit disgruntled.) I hope that everyone's celebrations, large or small or virtually nonexistent have been enjoyable.

I've spent New Year's Eve nursing my youngest through the aftermath of having all 4 wisdom teeth out this today. She's having a harder time of it than my previous such patients, so it's been blood, tears, pain meds and Netflix. Sleep, apparently is for the lucky and the weak.

Happy New Year! I I hope 2015 will be a good year - with everybody interpreting "good" as needed :-)Our party last night was quite nice - and driving home through banks of fog that could be used as film setting for the most sinister horror movie yet to come kept everyone awake and on their toes...Hope you won´t have too much trouble at work today, L.

fA, my sympathies to you and yours, mine had all four of hers out at once too, and the one good thing about it is: you only ever have to do that once in your whole life.I had a quiet night in. After having lots of fun last weekend with the Day of Dance, and then hearing about various people I had been with coming down with the flu, I decided self-defensive quarantine was the best choice, so I don't get sick before a soon-upcoming trip.meanwhile, having to upgrade computer equipment... ugh! hopefully "the inconvenience will be temporary and the improvement permanent" or, as permanent as anything is with computers.S